In the days and weeks leading up to your spinal surgery, you may have a lot of questions about what your recovery is going to look like.
As an athlete, your concerns are likely different from the average person who is anticipating surgery. What will rehabilitation look like, and how can you get back to performing at the elite level you are used to?
Let’s look at some of the things that you need to know before your spinal surgery about what recovery will look like and how elite physical therapy can aid your rehabilitation.
Many spinal surgeries include 2-4 days of inpatient hospital care. When you are packing for the hospital, you will want to prepare accordingly by packing things that will aid in your recovery. The hospital provides a lot of the essentials, but your stay will be more comfortable if you plan ahead.
You should pack:
You don’t want to be home from the hospital and realize that you need something essential to your recovery. There are specialized items you will likely need, so don’t expect to simply have everything around the house.
Our patients have reported that these are some of the most important items to them during their earliest recovery days:
Even if you are someone who can usually fall asleep right after your head hits the pillow, you may need to take some time to adjust to a new reality when it comes to sleep after spinal surgery. An adjustable bed is great, but most people don’t have that after they leave the hospital.
Using advice from your doctor and physical therapist, you can use pillows, including wedge pillows, to create a comfortable and safe sleeping situation as you recover.
There is no option to get better on your own after spinal surgery.
For athletes, rehabilitation is what allows you to not just recover from the pain, but also get back to form. You may feel like you just want to rest after surgery, and rest is important–but so is doing your exercises, working with a qualified physical therapist, and prioritizing your long-term recovery.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Whether you need help from someone in your household, a close family member or friend, or your physical therapist, there are times you are going to need to ask for assistance. This is a part of recovery! If we are on your recovery team, we look forward to finding out how we can help you recover.
At True Sports, we’re sports-focused because you’re sports-focused. It’s where the best physical therapists in Baltimore and Maryland provide the highest level of sports physical therapy and expertise you need to get back to your sport. With five convenient state-of-the-art locations to choose from, any athlete who takes their rehab seriously can get awesome care and extraordinary results. Select your location and schedule an appointment and have True Sports get you back to your team.
For questions about insurance or self-pay rates, please call our office at 1-401-946-1672.
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